The Curious Case Of Creating vs. Consuming

When faced against a single task, no matter the complexity or redundancy of it, we are somehow programmed to respond promptly. As if entering into that state of mind which dictates productivity is as easy as a joke. Can you relate?

I mean, presuming of course that this “task” of ours requires rudimentary skills or even something slightly more complex, but out of the scope of creativity.

Creativity, on the other hand, or any creative job for that matter, requires a different tune to be whistled.

Now here lays the interesting phenomenon – creative output is not only labeled differently from productive output, but perceived entirely different as well.

Creativity cannot be expressed at daily basis

Or can it?

The answer being in the negative, suggests that we are creative only within a limited time frame. It says that we are restrained by pressure of an idea escaping, hence playing it safe, and pray for having the type of smarts that keep us up at night in hope for one to emerge.

We are, in fact, creative at a number of levels – the way we handle even the simplest of daily routines, the way we interact with one another. It’s all creativity. Maybe not by definition, but still…

What freaks me out though is the fact that whenever creativity is asked from me as in order to come up with it, there is this partial block. Time restriction and deadlines are usually the trigger for this anxiety and creative suffocation, but on a wider scope I recognize a different, more sociological factor.

We are used to consume creativity, maybe even recognize it and give it some credit here and there, but not to be the medium responsible for it to happen and flow freely.

My point being – we are accustomed to consumerism, digesting everything around us, but never in the habit (probably need would be more appropriate here) to actually produce something.

It has never been required from us (Ok, maybe with the exception of fifth grade, when you did that small house using carton boxes, or participated in the Hamlet arranged by the “new-ambitious-and-still-enthusiastic” teacher). You see where I’m heading?

Consumerism defines us, but what if…?

Think about it for a second; even with putting products and services aside, we are still bound to consume. How come? Well, every form of creativity that we encounter is directed towards us – we watch the movies, we listen to the music, we go to the shows, we read the books, the newspapers…

This cripples us in a way that we are never allowing our creativity to emerge. And the “I-am-not-the-creative-person” type of excuse is lame at best. We all are. Sure, we are different in that respect, and Amen I respect that, but we all are.

I’m not saying that you should start the new Broadway down the street in your neighborhood, or reinvent the wheel for that matter; What I’m suggesting is having the habit (was so close to saying balls now) of doing something creative from time to time and let others enjoy it.
Even without that final variation to the equation, let you, yourself, enjoy your creative output.

Reading your stuff sounds egocentric? Well in that case I need an 18 wheeler to carry my ego. And suggest some apartment renting too while at it, since judging according to that it needs a separate place even.

My point being, get accustomed to spill your creative output out there once in a while. It usually ignites the process, smiting it on the butt as for it to accelerate.

And not every creative spark will resemble a beauty wearing haute couture gown, but it gets there. Soon enough; by implementing the habit, having the balls (there, I said it). It gets there.

Creating is the key to creativity

Sparing you from neuropsychology and explaining how the habit of being creative creates this neural wiring, thus making you more prone towards extrapolating creative solutions, I will just make some analogies.

Imagine being served the finest food day after day till you turn 40 something. Then, imagine a somewhat more realistic scenario, of you having that experience, now having to cook for yourself and your kids. Can you prepare anything similar to that food you once consumed? Can you prepare any food at all for that matter?

You see where I’m going with this?

No matter the quality of the literature you read, you can never write if you don’t start writing.

No matter how hilarious the joke you heard on that one night stand up with Louis CK was, you cannot be funny unless you utter some words now and then. (Unless you are Chaplin or know how to tap dance)

No matter how wonderful that interpretation of Brahms, that Itzhak Perlman played, was, you cannot perform even the first line if you don’t actually take a violin in your hand and practice for years.

Yes years. Some creative mediums require quite more time and dedication, but bottom line is that with all creative outlets time and the habit of practice is both all you need, and all you have.

Now how to recognize if you are one of those consuming driven type of people?

Think when was the last time you did something and spilled it all out there; on the line, for everybody to either enjoy or criticize.

Or better yet, start thinking about how often do you come to criticize other people’s work, and whether or not you improve what they did against the basis of your critique. Are you doing something, or are you bashing other people’s work hiding behind “if I was to write/play/sing that, it would have been AMAZING“.

How too easily we look from afar at the efforts of others and complain, criticize or scorn. Creativity is an innate gift that we should each take responsibility for, and in our own way, produce something of wonder for others to enjoy.

Hey Nicholas, thanks for stopping by. You are right saying that we, as a society, have the habit of looking from afar, pointing ourselves as judges to other people work or efforts. And when I think about it, it sure seems a lot more like a habit than anything else.
One might assume fear from putting efforts and something creative out on the line, but when you think about it, we were just being “trained” to consume and never bother to do otherwise.